The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-26
MORAL INFLUENCE OF ART
Rev. DR.. Hyde Thinks Its Tendency, Gen.
orally, in This Age Is Elevating.
The Modern Demand Is for Truth and the Art
ist Of To-Day Finds that He Must
Paint Nature as She Looks.

AT the art exhibition at Masonic Hall, yester-
day afternoon. Rev. DR.. N. A. Hyde, president
of the Indianapolis Art Association, spoke brief
ly on 1.-The Moral Influence of Art" introduce
ing his subject, he said he thought there were
practical questions for every one to raise and an
swer: Why do we buy pcture9 Why do We
establish an art gallery Why put so much
money in paintings and statuary2 We know
that in our country great deal of money is 60
ing into art. Can we justify this expenditure!
Can we say it is good thing to buy picture
to decorate our homes with such things? Thack-
cray says the muse of painting is like lady
whose social position is not established. Hamil-
ton says art is neither moral nor immoral-that
it is simply the use we make of it which decides
whether its tendency is moral immoral.
When we ask whether literature is moral or i'm
moral we speak of tie great mass of it about
which there is no question. In art the great
mass of it to-day is e,evating in its tend.
ency Ruskin says art is the exponent
of the moral and social virtues of the
age You ask me as to the moral
influence of art; | answer by asking of what age
and what country are you speaking9 Art as we
have 1t and expect to have it in this country,
will have large influence in the cultivation and
the improvement of the people. There is no
doubt about this. Art is sensitive to the popular
taste. 1t is certain to respond to it as liter
allure is, and art meets universal want Nat
ure is asserting herself in such gallery as this;
she Is asserting herself in our homes DO we
build houses merely for shelter, and warmth,
and convenience Not at all: we consider the
question of decoration and the influence 1t may
give. We have fuller and richer life when
these higher sentiments of our nature are graft
fed by decoration and art The intellectual
pleasures of art are great. Go into the home OF
the laboring man, and see some rude painting
picture on the wall. The family receive an in
huence from it, He may something in the
picture that appeals to his patriotic feeling,
something that excites his higher and nobler
feelings.
s'The pleasure we receive from art is indefna-
BILE, but none the less real Hamilton says we
all have an idiosyncracy of nature, certain
idiosyncrasy of taste. and when each of US
comes to some landscape that responds to that
ldloSyncraSv our heart goes out to 1t. L think
this is true of works of art in our homes; we
love certain paintings and pictures. Think we
are to be congratulated that we live in an age
when art is to serve higher purpose-to do
more for mankind than it ever has in the past
Art in the present day is the fruit of a newer
and better civilization. In the medi9vel age
painting great ally of the church. These
works will never be reproduced. The spirit of
our age is different. We have no painters of
the imagination as in those days. Our age de-
mands truth. The artist who is true to nature
honors the Maker and humanity alike. The
painter formerly put the mountain, the flower,
the tree not where nature placed them. but
where he thought they ought to be. The artist
to-day puts them where nature places them.
"Where is there grander field for art than in
our own country? l believe the painter will
find superior objects for art here than in the old
country-more beautiful forms, more pictur-
esgue grander. Landscapes and marine views
predominant in this gallery. think they should.
Historical paintings will always have place as
long as true to nature We love the truth. An
artist is to be congratulated, man who has
chosen that profession with a love for his work
and with high ideals He is to leave works be-
hind him that will live. To some degree. the
literary man is forgotten few years after his
popularity has passed away. but the artist, he
who paints nature as she is painted by the great
painter. will leave his works to admired and
loved long after he is gone"